Battle for Earth
by Apollo the Drell
Summary: The prequel to my Insanity story chroncling the events leading to Shep's fight against Indoctrination. Includes OCs. Please read and review!


**Author's Note: GAH, already? Geez this guy loves his Authoer's Notes. Well, guys, this is the prequel to my Insanity story, jsut explains the drama my Shpe would've dealt with before fighting Indoctrination (THE IT IS REAL GODDAMMIT) I hope you enjoy! :)**

**Also: I own none of this. I just have way too much time on my hands.**

Battle for Earth

Chapter 1

"Fuck! They got me!"

Corporal Jonathan Acres was pinned down in what used to be a clinic by Cannibals with two other soldiers. As if that weren't bad enough, his major was unconscious and wounded badly, and Gunnery Chief Biggs was as useless as they come. Biggs was trying to stop the bleeding from Major Flax's gut, but it wouldn't stop.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Acres popped out from behind his cover—a shattered counter that was once stocked with prescription medicine—and fired his Mattock into the crowd of Cannibals. He hit one in the arm and sent it off balance and into the mud. Another quickly fired a shot that landed not three meters from Acre's position.

"What the hell are you doing, Corporal? Get your ass down!" Biggs was still trying to staunch the flow of blood from Flax's wound to no avail, and Acres clung to the shattered counter for dear life. He was breathing heavily, trying to collect himself when Biggs shouted, "Acres, what're you doing? Radio for help, you dumbass—the major's bleeding out here!"

Acres nodded and fumbled around for his radio, hoping he wouldn't get his head blown off before he found it. He reached into his satchel next to him and found the radio. He called into it, "Mayday, mayday, can anyone on this channel hear me? We're pinned down in a run-down clinic not far from HQ, and quickly being overrun by Cannibals! If anyone can hear this, get to our position—and hurry!"

The radio crackled in response. "This is Admiral Anderson; I have a squad of troops and a shuttle with me less than a kilometer away from your position. Coming to assist, ETA about two minutes."

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Acres remembered he was talking to a high-ranking officer. "I mean, thank you, _sir_!"

"Is this really a time for formalities, soldier?" And with that the radio crackled into silence, leaving Acres, Biggs, and Flax to deal with the Cannibals.

Biggs pulled bandages from his pack and wrapped them carefully around Flax's gut. "Well? How long until they get here?"

"We have to last about two minutes, but hopefully they'll get here sooner."

Biggs nodded and tied off the major's bandages. Again, the blood didn't stop flowing, nor did it slow down, but at least the bandages would lessen the chance of infection. A Cannibal fired into the clinic, striking just above Biggs' head. "Jesus fucking Christ!"

Acres shouted at him, "Keep your head down!"

"Yeah, no shit," Biggs retorted. He popped up from cover to fire into the crowd of Cannibals, but before he could get a shot off, a Husk leaped over the barrier and on top of him. He was knocked over by the walking corpse, and it began digging its claws into his face.

"Jesus shit! Acres, shoot this thing!" Biggs shouted as his face was being clawed away. Acres quickly fired his Mattock and struck the Husk in the head. As its body fell to the side, Biggs grasped the left side of his face.

"Shit, Acres, I think it got my eye!"

Acres compacted his rifle and placed it on his back as he scooted over to inspect Biggs' wound. It was true, the Husk _had_ clawed out the man's left eye, and tore a good portion of the man's left cheek off, too.

"How bad is it, Acres?"

Acres shook his head. "I'm not gonna lie, it doesn't look good, Biggs. Looks like you're gonna lose the eye, hell, maybe even the cheek."

Biggs let out a groan. "Great. How am I supposed to explain this to the wife?"

Acres shrugged. "Tell the truth—you got raped by a Husk."

"Oh, fuck you, Acres."

Biggs reached to his side and grasped his Avenger, using it to help himself up to a position behind the barrier again. He took a few deep breaths as if to center himself. With his cheek still pumping out blood he said, "Acres, you gotta carry Major Flax outta here. I'll cover you." He popped the heat sink out of his rifle.

Acres nodded and, as gently as possible, he picked the lieutenant up into a fireman's carry. "All right, I'm ready whenever you are, Biggs."

Biggs nodded and popped out from his cover, firing directly into a Cannibal's head. Acres turned and went through a broken threshold that he assumed used to be a door to a stockroom of some kind. All four walls were still up—amazingly enough—but they looked very brittle, like they would come down any minute.

Acres pushed through the room, but only made it halfway through when a Husk burst through the wall to his right, nearly knocking him over. Acres reacted quickly by drawing his pistol, a Phalanx he had picked up long before the Reapers invaded, and fired into the corpse's torso. The shot didn't seem to faze it much, even though it tore at least a six inch hole into the thing's chest. He fired again, striking the Husk's jaw, tearing most of its head off its shoulders.

It hit the ground with a wet thud as Acres passed by, and he could hear Biggs firing at a mob of Cannibals, and Husks behind them. Acres heard a shuttle pass over the clinic, and stopped dead in his tracks. "Biggs, I think Anderson's here!" He broke into a smile and turned in time to see his Squad member—his friend—get pounced on by a Husk.

"Not this shit again," Biggs cried from underneath the Husk. His Avenger was flung from his hands by the Husk as it began recklessly tearing away at the man's arm and torso. Acres fired at the Husk, but it was too late. Biggs' right arm was nearly torn off and his sternum was bleeding profusely.

Acres heard the shuttle land behind the building, and rushed to the back door, Lieutenant Flax still in tow. He opened the door and saw Admiral Anderson and Major Coates waiting with the shuttle door open. "C'mon, we gotta move!" Anderson called frantically.

Acres gently placed Flax into the shuttle and turned to run back into the building. Anderson shouted after him, "What're you doing, soldier?"

"There's another man in there, and I am _not_ going to let him die on my watch!" Acres shouted over his shoulder, a bit more venom in his voice than he had intended. He saw more Husks and Cannibals crowding around Biggs' limp body.

"_Stay away from him, you motherfuckers!"_ Acres shouted, firing his Mattock into the crowd. He reached Biggs' body, and grasped his good shoulder. _Thank God he's still breathing,_ Acres thought.

Biggs' shoulder in one hand, Mattock in the other, Acres began slowly dragging the large man out of the clinic. He shot at oncoming Husks and Cannibals, not letting a single one pass the threshold into the stockroom. He heard footsteps behind him and quickly turned, ready to fire.

It was Anderson. He came from behind Acres and helped drag Biggs out of the stockroom. They placed the large man in the shuttle and hopped in themselves, firing at Husks that attempted boarding the shuttle as the door closed.

Acres released a sigh of relief as the shuttle lifted off the ground. He turned to thank Anderson, but before he could get a word out, he was interrupted. "That was a reckless stunt you pulled back there, soldier. You could've gotten us all killed, we could've gotten out no problem, but you decided to go back to save _one_ soldier? What's your name, and what platoon do you all belong to?"

Acres bowed his head in shame and mumbled, "Corporal Jonathan Acres, one-oh-fourth division, third platoon callsign Straightjacket two-seven. We're all that's left sir."

Anderson scowled over the smaller man and said, "Well, Corporal Acres of third platoon, I guess I have no choice in the matter. I have to recommend you for a commendation for that courageous act."

Acres nodded slowly, not fully processing what Anderson had said. He then perked up to see the man smiling at him. There was a smile tugging at Acres' lips. "Sir, it was what any soldier would've done."

Anderson shook his head. "Not in times like these, Lieutenant."

"Uh…I'm a Corporal, sir."

Anderson laughed. "For now, but once we get back to camp, I'm recommending you be promoted to Second Lieutenant. Congratulations, Acres."

Acres was smiling now, proud of his achievement. The smile faded, however, when he glanced over at Biggs and Flax. "Sir, do you think they'll make the trip to HQ?"

"The Major will be fine; it seems the bandages have stopped most of the bleeding. Your other friend, however," Anderson's look changed to one of pity. "I'm not sure if he'll make it. Even if he does, he won't be able to fight."

Acres sighed and sat across from Major Coates, who was tending to Biggs' wounds. "C'mon, Biggs. You can do this, survive. Survive so I can properly kick your ass for making me save you again." He chuckled slightly under his breath, but hearing the explosions and gunfire outside the shuttle his laughter quickly dissipated to despair.

"We're not gonna win this war, are we, Anderson?"

The Admiral looked him in the eye. Acres thought he saw a hint of despair. "I don't know, son. I don't know."

**Author's Note: Geez, Anderson, great bedside manner, huh? Anyway guys, I've been working on an original work of mine a LOT lately, that's why I haven't been able to post a lot lately, so I'm sorry! I hope to get more out there soon! Thanks for sticking with me :)**

**Also: I own nothing, BioWare has done a good enough job with this they don't ned my help with it.**


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